Expiscor
by Skaja VII
Summary: Draco's girlfriend- Sassinak, a fellow Slytherin- breaks up with him. Because of his Death Eater heritage. Obviously, angst ensues. (D/OC)


   Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, or Sassinak (the name or character).

   Author's Note: As with "Silentium", I have recently edited this for grammar and style. Not claiming this is the final draft/edit, but this is fairly better than the last one. That said- to those new to this story, "Expiscor" is the sequel to "Silentium", and is revolves around a female original character introduced in the previous story named Sassinak (also known as Sass or Sassy). The rest is self-explanatory. If you haven't read "Silentium", basically, Ron and Jazz get together and Sass and Jazz become casual acquaintances- as opposed to enemies. Now, on with the fic…

*******

   Sassinak Victoria Murray sat in the most comfortable armchair by the fireplace in the Slytherin common room. She'd gotten out her finest chenille sweater- it was drafty, having your dormitories in the dungeons. But it was more than the chill of the room that travelled up her spine.

   She was steeling herself for something very hard, a conversation she'd never had to carry out herself. The "maybe we need some space" or "this might just inspire resentment" kind of talk. When it came to this in previous relationships, Sassy would've just broken it off. They were mostly just pretty tokens to tote around for appearances, anyway. Heck, she might have even made someone else tell the guy; no use wasting her time.

   But when it came to Draco Malfoy….

   When it came to Draco Malfoy…Sassinak's schooled features softened, and might just show something akin to emotion. It all started out as just a mutual decision; they'd both needed to keep up their reputations for the sake of family and pride, so they'd started "dating". But somewhere along the line, things had changed. Both Draco and Sassinak had discovered in one another someone to carry on a conversation with, someone with common experiences and interests, someone with some of the same woes. Draco had become something more to Sassy- maybe someone who she might be even…

   …falling in love with. The notion made almost made Sassinak snort in disgust. Love, love was something trained out of her system of the most part- she knew better than to let that seep in so quickly, to let it own her so that someone else might have an edge over her- but there it was, plainly. Sass wasn't exactly the same girl she'd been in boarding school…had that only been months ago? It seemed so much longer.

   Now things, instead of getting better, were getting harder- all because of family.

   Sassy's family might have sent her to the strictest of schools and insisted on her perfect behaviour, but they weren't bad people, if you summed it up. They showed her affection, they genuinely did seem to care about her and want the best for her. And though they hadn't taken a side yet with Voldemort's uprising- with the Ministry, Dumbledore, or the Death Eaters- they never were practitioners of Dark Arts, though they wandered into the grey areas quite often.

   That was exactly the problem. There was indeed pressure on her parents to choose a side, as figureheads of one of the most prominent wizarding families in Scotland. No one on Dumbledore's side had gotten to them, they loathed the disorganization of the Ministry, and…

   …and she was dating the son of one of the most known about Death Eaters, one so close to Voldemort someone could almost sense it in the utterance of his name. 

   Her parents had started to correspond with Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy just recently, very friendly like about their child's welfare and such other things. Sass was frankly worried. The Christmas holidays were coming fast, and she knew how the Malfoys liked to go visiting- she'd met one of Draco's cousins on break last year- and since her parents were holding a grand party at the manor…

   Sassy had never been the closest with her parents. But now, as she really thought about it, she didn't want them to become killers. She didn't want anyone to die.

   Tough luck explaining this to Draco. She'd always known about his father. And he was supposed to be marked a Death Eater on his sixteenth birthday. He had been born for it.

   It was only months away, and Sassy dreaded that as much as the next thing she had to tell him. At this rate, it would be easier to walk into Gryffindor Tower and kill Harry Potter then face her boyfriend.

   Draco swept into the common room- almost literally; he held his broomstick with him. He smoothed his white-blond hair off his sweaty forehead and looked over at her. "You didn't come to watch Quidditch practice," he said, but he smiled slightly at her and sat down in a chair nearby.

   Sassy lowered her eyes. "I've been doing some thinking."

   "Sounds like a terribly dreadful train of thought. Care to share it?" Draco laid his broomstick on an end table and gave her his full attention.

   Sassinak took in a deep breath and held her head high, but she couldn't bring herself to look into Draco's eyes. "I have to break up with you."

   There was only silence, so she chanced a look at Draco. 

   Uncharacteristic shock had turned his already pale face into the pallid visage of a classic vampire. "What?"

   Sassy cursed herself for her lack of composure and looked at the floor. "It's not you. You don't deserve this at all…well, maybe, you deserve someone other than me who can…I mean…it's because of-"

   Sassy swallowed. "It's because…of your father, really, and you know he's been talking to my parents, and I…"

   Draco laughed aloud. "What's wrong with that? It's not like he's rude or something-"

   "I don't want my parents to become…swayed…by his political point of view. They might make mistakes sometimes, but…I don't want them to…."

   "Follow Voldemort?" Draco said bluntly. "And how's breaking up with me going to solve that?"

   "If they know someone of my line has forsaken a Malfoy they'll be more doubtful. And I need that."

   Draco stared at her for a moment, and then leaned forward and pulled down his sleeve. "A matter of months," he hissed, "and _I'll _be marked forever. And you say it isn't me?"

   Sassy glared back at him. "For once, Draco, you could be yourself first, and not just a Malfoy."

   "And you're doing this for yourself?"

   She averted her eyes.

   "You always knew it was this was this way, Sassinak. Why, now, are you suddenly bringing this up? Or are things different now, with the new friends you've been making? I've heard about you and Weasley's girl."

   Sassy stared at him, not replying, so he continued.

   "Weasley, Sassinak. He and Potter being my enemies. I hope this isn't your way of telling me you're taking Potter's side."

   Draco stood abruptly and snatched up his broomstick. He turned to walk away, but Sassy had something left to say.

   "It's different now- because I'm falling in love with you, Draco."

   Draco didn't turn to look at her, but his head was halfway inclined. His expression softened for a fleeting moment, but then the features moulded to the cold countenance he usually showed to everyone but her.

   "You're not falling in love with me. You're falling in love with who you want me to be. Maybe I don't want to be a Malfoy. But I'll never be a Potter, a Weasley, or even a Murray. So you're better off without me."

   With that, he stalked off into the boys' dormitories.

   Sassinak did not take disappointment well.

  Yet despite her inner turmoil as she signed the sheet to stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas break, her face was still an emotionless mask. She bore this mask throughout the hallways as she went down to the library, a neutral ground not covered in snow as were many of her favourite places this time of year.

   The library was relatively empty, except for Hermione Granger and one hunk of a Ravenclaw, who was leaving a conversation with the brainy Gryffindor when she came in. Sassy went to step past Hermione into the sanctuary of the shelves of books, but the teen called out to her.

   "Murray," she said, beckoning to Sassy. Sassy sighed. She really didn't need a close encounter with the touchy girl at the time, but better this than risk her wrath afterwards if she didn't respond.

   After all, Sassy's unique craft of revenge took time, and she didn't want to waste time on Granger if she didn't have to.

   "I've seen you talking to Jazz. What exactly are you doing?" Hermione asked bluntly.

   Sassinak sighed. "Unlike you, I am capable of civilized conversation- one of which Jazz and I were holding."

   Hermione glared at her. "Do I look like I have 'daft' stamped across my forehead, Murray?"

   In that moment, Sassinak had had more than enough. "Look, Granger, I have enough to worry about without your stupid questions about what I was doing with Jazz- ask her yourself if you care so much about her. I have more important things to deal with, like maybe keeping my own family from turning-"

   Madam Pince sent a 'look' over at Sassinak as her tone heightened in anger, and she muffled a sigh of frustration.

   Hermione, however, was surprised. "I'd thought your family was-"

   "Full of Death Eaters?" Sass hissed. "Wealth and fame doesn't make us evil, Granger."

   "Well, it sure did look like you were all into the Dark Arts." Hermione retorted. "What with your affiliation with-"

   "My former boyfriend?" Sassinak smiled sardonically.

   "Former?"

   Sassy turned her head aside, a profile of a dangerous expression still enough to intimidate Hermione.

   "Don't remind me."

   With that, Sassinak was off into the shelves of books.

   It required perfect timing in order to reach the quiet sanctum of the library without Hermione's intervention, but if nothing else, Jazz could pull off a scheme to perfection.

   Ritualistically, Hermione came upstairs to grab her stash of pretzels and soda and wish the boys luck at their Quidditch practice at a very precise time. So Jazz made her rounds with the team earlier, grabbed her store of sugar-packed treats, stashed them in her book bag, and headed to the library, being sure to take a roundabout way so Hermione wouldn't run into her.

   Jazz felt only the occasional pang of guilt for wanting to avoid her fellow Gryffindor. There was nothing wrong with Hermione, really, but it was best that she and Jazz spent some quality time apart. They had a hard time getting along- not because of differences, but simply because they were so alike. This often spurred the sort of subtle competition that Jazz much preferred avoiding, as she wanted to maintain at least the semblance of a friendship with the older girl.   

   Jazz breathed a sigh of relief when she got into the sparsely populated library- there was no one to bother her. She slipped off into the stacks with the full intention of pulling out a strange device that was the wizarding equivalent of a portable cassette player, and listening to some of Ginny's favourite music.

   Of course, that was before she found Sassinak sitting in her most cherished deserted place in the stacks, hunched over in quiet sadness.

   Jazz hesitated, almost turning to leave- but she couldn't in her chivalrous, Gryffindor right mind leave Sassinak alone in the stacks, miserable. Without words to say, she pulled out a Chocolate Frog and prodded Sass with it. 

   She snatched it, yanked it open, and took a very healthy bite for such a petite young beauty.

   "Where'd you get this?" she asked.

   "Hogsmeade."

   "I mean more of the how."

   "Won the wizarding lotto a week before I went to Hogsmeade. Not the jackpot, but major. Kept it quiet. Bought some wicked Christmas gifts. Don't tell anyone."

   "Pretty lucky."

   "I've been really lucky lately."

   "You stole mine, I assume." Sassy cast her bloodshot gaze into the distance.

   "You finally did it, then."

   "I didn't think I had a conscience. It's your fault for pointing it out," she glared at Jazz and ate the rest of the Frog. "I should've gone on being completely ignorant and selfish."

   "You didn't want people to die by the hands of your family. It's very brave to stick up for the lives of people you don't know by forsaking those you do."

   "Brave or plain dumbass. And that's your job, you Gryffindor." Sass scowled, but not at Jazz. "I don't get this, why it has to be this way. Like taking sides. I'm not on anybody's side but my own."

   "I know that."

   "It was stupid of me, you know? Pulled a total Hufflepuff, letting myself be on Draco's side."

   "Bit harsh of a house slander, wasn't that?"

   "I'm sure you Gryffs say bad stuff about the other houses too."

   Jazz shrugged. "'They don't play Quidditch real good.' What do you think? We _are_ Gryffindors."

   "Now that's a harsh house slander."

   "They need to come up with some new house qualities. Brave is not good enough of a criteria- it can mean so many things; look at Neville. And Hermione's a total Hufflepuff."

   Sass raised a questioning eyebrow in Jazz's direction.

   "In the loyal, hard-working sense; not the smiling stupor clause," Jazz explained.

   Sass sighed. "I don't know what was on the Hat's mind."

   Jazz sat down beside Sassinak and they indulged in silence for a while.

   "How did he take it?"

   "I really don't want to talk about it." Sass stared daggers at the tattered copies of 'Quodpot for Squibs'.

   "Chocolate Frog?"

   "Do you have to ask?"

   "You know, that's the fastest I've ever seen someone consume chocolate."

   "And?"

   "And I hang out with Weasleys. One who has PMS."

   "I guess it's a pretty amazing feat, then."

   "I guess."

   "Maybe I should break-up with the guys I'm in love with more often."

   "You were in love with-"

   Sassinak stood up and smiled faintly at Jazz. "Thanks for the Frogs. I'll see you later."

   There was only one other place where Sassinak could find the peaceful reflection she longed for- and she found, with the utmost of disgust, that it was overrun with Gryffindors. 

   She stood in the shadows of the grandstands by the Quidditch pitch wondering if fate could be any crueller to her without taking form and slapping her in the face.

   Apparently, it could.

   A pallid face, highlighted by the meagre rays of the glowing orbs by the Quidditch Pitch and the natural light of the stars and full moon, appeared outside her veil of shadow. The piercing grey eyes focussed in on her.

   "What are you doing here?" Draco hissed in a bare whisper. The annoyance in even this, his quietest tone, was obvious.

   Sassy couldn't look at him, and so she stared out into the sky, where the Gryffindor Quidditch team scrimmaged. 

   "What are you doing here?" she questioned in return. Her voice, in contrast, was neutral; however, her eyes, diverted purposefully, told a different tale.

   Sass caught a sideways glimpse of his frown as he considered a reply.

   "I was looking for you," he finally admitted. 

   "How did you know I was here?"

   "Location Spell." Draco slipped a bit of his wand out from the sleeve of his cloak.

   "I thought that only worked on inanimate objects of magical properties." 

   Draco merely gestured to her neck.

   A reflex made her hand go to her throat where she fingered the necklace Draco had given her, a silver dragon-serpent with fiery eyes on a delicate silver chain. He'd told her once it would give her strength; she'd thought it just a line, and now- with what she was putting herself through….

   "What do you want?" she asked abruptly, averting her eyes to the moon. It was huge and bright, an amazing sight to see, and kept her gaze from wandering to Draco, at least for the moment.

   "I thought…maybe I'd been a bit hasty before."

   "In what way?"

   The long pause was anything but comfortable- Sassy shivered, her designer cloak more beautiful than warm, too thin a covering for the weather of the late autumn night. He stood stationary, his eyes fixed on Sassy's back as she gazed off into the distance; finally, he drew on his words.

   "Letting you go. It was stupid to just walk away like that. I thought what we had was more than that."

   Sass turned completely away from Draco, leaning against the grandstands and swallowing the sadness that threatened again to rule her.

   "I thought maybe you could come to our manor for Christmas break. That way we could convince Father to stick around and…well…."

   Draco sighed as his words trailed off into the seemingly endless night.

   "What do you think?"

   "I'm staying here."

   "What?"

   "I'm staying here. At Hogwarts. For the break."

   "Why would you? Barely anyone stays for the break, just those whose parents are gone or don't care enough- and you know the kind of people who fall under that category…."

   Sassy sighed, and her voice wavered slightly as she replied. "I told you that I was breaking up with you, Draco."

   "And I told you it's stupid."

   "You don't have to be childish about this."

   "What do you want me to be? Obviously it's a creature other than I am." Draco snapped in exasperation.

   "I want you to be you. I really…you make a good you." Sassy amended, taking care with her words, what few of them she could manage to speak. 

   "Well, 'me' is a Death Eater."

   "Is that all you are? Somehow that doesn't seem enough to make me…"

   "What? What is it you're trying to tell me?"

   Sassy gave a ragged sigh and lowered her eyes as they glistened with tears.

   "If I could tell you just one thing…I would say something…I always say, I've always said, for different reasons, for stupid reasons, I disrespected the words…and…you'd never believe me and you'd argue and you'd fight and I'd just laugh because it doesn't mean anything. Because it's you. And…"

   She felt Draco's hand on her shoulder, but she reached up and loosened his grip as he tried to turn her to face him. The brief touch almost broke her; she choked on her words as it was.

   "Sassinak…"

   "But it's over…and there's nothing left for me to say."

   With that, Draco watched in denial as his soul strode away from him down the Quidditch sidelines, glistening in her tears and the streaks of moonlight reflecting from her beautiful auburn hair.

   A very grumpy, very tired Sassinak was loathe to explain to the Gryffindor Quidditch team why she had been sitting along the sidelines, watching them practice, and wearing Ron's maroon Weasley jumper over her expensive Adrienne Sheaden cloak. Even less did she want to explain her red, puffy eyes and her complete personification of defeat- from her slump to her weary, scratchy voice. 

   Luckily enough, the lions were easily tamed, even with their den broached.

   "What in the name of Merlin are you doing?" asked Ron. "Watching our practice. In my jumper. Looking utterly miserable. What god of justice found its way into your Common Room?"

   Knowing better than to take it personally, Sass merely glared at him. "Weasley, just shut up and take me to Jazz."

   Ron looked over at Harry for support, but he merely shrugged, slipping his cloak over his head.    

   "What am I supposed to do, take you into Gryffindor Tower?"

   "What, are you afraid some god of house segregation will smite you with a bolt of lightning?"

   Ron snorted. "Hardly. I'm afraid that half of the house will jump me and beat me to a bloody pulp."

   "It's late. They won't be in the Common Room. The ones that are, I'll handle. Just get me in, or I swear you will be paying for it for the rest of your measly existence," Sassy hissed.

   Ron sighed hugely. "Yeah, yeah, okay. Just come with us."

   The rest of the Quidditch team was taking the scenic route to Gryffindor Tower, no doubt their minds on something other than tactics, while Ron and Harry rushed the narrow-eyed Slytherin by the quickest way they knew. However, it was hard to take Sassy completely seriously, when every time they looked at her it was a vision in a very oversized maroon jumper with a large capital R on it. 

   Nonetheless, they refrained from commenting; despite Sassy's present moment of weakness, anything they said or did would be brought back to haunt them.

   It seemed like mere seconds before they were at the portrait of the Fat Lady. Before they entered, Ron turned to Sassy to warn her.

   "It's a new password, so it's going to be around for a while, a week at the most. So if you use this information to do anything- anything besides come in here to visit Jazz- I'm warning you that there will be measures taken on you, and all your snivelling little pals. You got that straight?"

   The Fat Lady looked up sleepily. "Hello, dear. Password, please?"

   Ron glared at Sass, waiting for a reply. She nodded impatiently.

   "Multi-faceted nezzleberries," he intoned, and the portrait opened into the Gryffindor common room.

   "What's a multi-faceted nezzleberry?" Harry asked.

   Sassy snorted at his ignorance; however, Ron, a far more frequent companion of Harry, replied without a thought.

   "You don't want to know," he told Harry with a frown of disgust.

   Sassy had been right on one account; because of the lateness of the night, despite the fact that it was Friday, a lot of the students had gone off to bed- or at least to their dorms. Both Hermione and Jazz had remained in the common room, though, waiting for Ron and Harry's return. Hermione looked up from her book the second the portrait creaked open.

   "Was it a-"

   Hermione stared at Sassinak.

   "What in the name of Merlin are you doing here? In Ron's jumper no less!"

   Jazz jumped up at the loud tone of Hermione- she'd been sitting further from the door, at a table to the left of the fire. Her frantic writing immediately stopped at the sight of Sassy.

   She rushed over with the speed of a friend obsessed. Which might be just what she was, Sassy reflected- a friend. 

   It seemed strange, even in her mind.

   "What's wrong?" she asked, in quieter tones.

   "Isn't there a place…less public than this?"

   Jazz's nose wrinkled. "Lav and Pav started a game of Truth or Dare in our dorm. This is as good as it gets."

   Sassy sighed and collapsed into a crimson chair. "Well, I guess it's over. Between Draco and I. I really just thought…it never was going to end…but now I don't think he's going to come back to me."

   Jazz winced in sympathy and leaned forward to capture Sass in a hug. "Oh, Sassy…I'm so sorry…."

   Sassinak closed her eyes, lost in the solace of the embrace. "Why do I have to feel this way? Like I'm being torn apart. Why does it matter to me when it never did before? Why do I have to…to feel…? I want to make this all go away…."

   She opened her eyes to look at the fire in the Gryffindor Common Room, no different from the one in her own Common Room, which she had been looking into in what seemed like ages ago.

   She also saw the faces. Of Harry, who was uncomfortable, unable to leave her in her sorrow, unsure of what to do; of Hermione, who had gone strangely silent, her features set in a look between surprise and solemnity; and of Ron, brash, rude Weasley, who was staring into the distance with unmistakably sad eyes.

   She never knew they could be like this; so caring. They were enemies, and enemies didn't stand around, looking sad when you were sad, as if they were sympathetic.

   "I'm sorry, Sassinak, I didn't mean to be harsh before. I didn't realize…."

   Ron's words trailed off into the emptiness of the room, as he paused, at a loss for words. She met his eyes. What else was there to say? They both hadn't realized, obviously.

   "Hermione, could you check if the girls are still making a racket in our dorms? I think maybe Sassy should stay here tonight."

   Hermione nodded. "I'll do better than that; I'll make sure they're quieted down."

   Harry hesitated. "I don't know, Hermione, if we're going to be breaking the rules, they might have a reason not to listen to you-"

   "I know how to deal with Lavender and Parvati," she said dismissively. "Don't worry about it. Just head up for some sleep, all right? I'm sure it's been a long Quidditch practice and we'll probably have a long day tomorrow."

   "Okay, I guess. Goodnight, Hermione," Harry said, waving as she walked towards the dorms.

   "Goodnight, Hermione," Ron and Jazz chorused.

   "Goodnight," she replied, before disappearing from sight and earshot.

   "Well, I guess we'd better be heading up, then," Harry told Ron, and he nodded in reply.

   "Right then. Goodnight, Sassinak," Ron said with a wan smile at Sassy.

   "Get a good rest. I'm sure Lavender and Parvati will sleep in, so you'll have a good long time to do it," Harry added.

   "Goodnight, Jazz," Ron said, almost wistfully, and he kissed her on the forehead, brushing back her hair with his hands. Jazz sighed and ran her fingers along the back of his neck.

   "Goodnight, Ron."

   Ron reluctantly let her go to pick up his Quidditch gear. Harry patted her on the head as he walked by.

   "Night, Jazz," he said with a wink, and Jazz smiled sweetly.

   "Sweet dreams, Harry."

   As the boys went off into their dorms, the saccharine sweet picture these four Gryffindors had just painted in front of her very eyes struck Sassy hard- all caring for one another, sharing thoughts and feelings and even these, the most traditional of pleasantries. And how Ron had made her think of Draco in that moment, as he kissed Jazz's forehead and brushed back her hair- it hurt. Enough- almost- to bring fresh tears to her tired eyes.

   But Jazz had not forgotten her friend in the moment, and so Sassy soon found herself led up the winding staircase to the place Jazz called home. 

   The two girls changed hastily, Jazz into her comfortable tank top and loose fitting drawstring pants, and Sassy into a borrowed shirt of Jazz's- oversized, long, and perfect to sleep in. Sassy got into bed quickly enough, defeated by the long day behind her, and was surprised when Jazz didn't do the same.

   "Aren't you going to sleep?" Sassy whispered into the darkness. A single candle was still burning to illuminate the room enough for them to see one another.

   Jazz smiled. "Yeah. But you need a good sleep, and that's not as easy with another person in your bed."

   "So what are you going to do?"

   Jazz's smile turned mischievous, almost wicked, and it seemed frightening in the meagre light. "Oh, I'm just going to go bug someone else who just might share space with me."

   Sassy couldn't help but smile slightly. "Just don't get yourself into trouble."

   "Come on, now. I'm a Gryffindor. It's my duty to wade knee-deep in it," Jazz stood near the head of the bed, beaming down at a yawning Sassy. "Now sleep, before I have to give you a Draught."

   Sassy smiled, closed her eyes, and found herself doing just that.

   A yawning Sassy swept into the Gryffindor Common Room at a decent hour to see Jazz and her friends already there.

   Sassy had borrowed some of Jazz's clothes; they weren't quite the same size, but Sass could pull off some of Jazz's smaller clothes. She had chosen a burgundy sweater and a pair of black jeans. Jazz had obviously borrowed clothes, too- she wore a pair of Harry's faded jeans and his emerald jumper.

   She was leaning against Ron on the couch, his arm around her. They both smiled. Harry, Hermione and George were around too- Ron was describing something to Harry, with colour commentary from Jazz, and Hermione was talking to George, pointing out something in a book.

   Sassy wondered if they were always this happy when other people- well, particularly Draco and herself- weren't around. She'd never noticed their attempts to make them miserable were succeeding so admirably.

   When Jazz noticed Sassy coming in, she smiled warmly over at her and patted the empty spot next to her on the couch.

   "Feeling a little better today?" she asked tentatively.

   Sassy shrugged and smiled weakly. "Ready to face the day, at least."

   "Ready to face the day, at least," Draco said with a sigh, smoothing back his white-blond hair as he looked into the mirror. He'd enchanted and cleaned himself until the most strict of mothers would be pleased, trying to get his eyes to look less bloodshot, to fix the hair he'd nearly torn out of his head and messed beyond the capabilities of his Gel Charm.

   Sassy hadn't come back last night; he'd waited for her in the Common Room, his cool countenance peeling away from him like a snake shedding skin with each passing hour. He didn't care to go back to that common room, empty without her in it- empty because no one there had ever meant anything to him but her.

   He pulled down the sleeve of his leather jacket. His appreciation of Muggle clothing was not lost on this castle, at least, as it was on his father. 

   He traced the pale, cool skin of his forearm. Would he relinquish the mark for Sassy? Was she worth it? She meant everything. Anything else in his life meant nothing without her. A thousand times, yes, she meant more.

   Would he give up being a Malfoy to be with her, even if it meant he could end up alone- alone with only the clothes on his back, with only memories of her smile?

   His father, his family, had never understood him like Sass did. She could interpret his eyes as if reading a book, hear everything he thought through the mere hint of his smile. And her laughter- it always made his heart beat a little faster, even when he hadn't known it was there…changing the darkness and confusion that spun in his head into something clear.

   Only now that she had been torn away from him did he know how much he needed her- to be able to feel anything again, he needed to love her.

   He sighed. He'd never needed to talk to someone before he met Sassinak- he'd never cared for companionship, or sharing- of anything- he'd never felt like he did now.

   That maybe lives were worth a little more- than power, or glory, or riches, or fame. That maybe on the face of everyone he killed, he'd see Sassy's eyes, as if he'd killed her a thousand times over. Because every time he killed someone, there'd be someone somewhere who might have loved them as much as Draco loved her.

   "It's lucky, then, that no one's attached to Potter," Draco said to no one in particular. "Now that's something I can't feel guilty for."

   The moment the words came out, Draco questioned them. Couldn't he? After all, he didn't know Potter that well. People did care for him….

   Draco sighed. Thoughts of Sassy had turned his brain into mush.

   "_Expiscor_." He intoned.

   He had to find her and tell her how he felt before he lost her forever.

   Draco found himself standing at the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, surprised.

   She could've feigned sickness and stayed in the Hospital Wing if she'd really wanted to avoid him- but instead, she'd turned to Jazz and her goody-two-shoe friends- not to mention Potter.

   Draco was almost ready to leave in disgust at how easily she had turned before he realized what he would be doing- giving up Sassy because of a bunch of Gryffindors.

   Highly unlikely.

   The woman in the portrait was gone visiting, so Draco, at a loss for what to do, knocked on the frame.

   Instead of the portrait opening, a disembodied voice spoke to him- the disembodied voice of Jazz, coming through his glowing wand. 

   "What do you want?" she asked.

   "Maybe I should go out there and-"

   "Ron! He can hear it when you talk into the wand, you know."

   "I'm just saying. He would deserve it."

   "I just needed to talk to Sassy," Draco interceded, before Jazz could chastise her Weasley any further.

   "Just a minute," Jazz told him, and his wand stopped glowing shortly after. 

   The portrait creaked open a minute later, and Jazz shot Draco a glare of warning that he hadn't thought was in her. 

   Then he saw Sassy sitting there on the couch by the fireplace, talking to George Weasley, but for some reason he felt she knew he was coming.

   She turned to look at him as he approached.

   "Sassinak, I need to talk to you."

   She gestured to a seat on a chair by her. "Sit. Talk."

   Draco looked around; in the middle of Gryffindor common room, while Harry sat nearby playing chess with Hermione, while George was on the end of the couch watching the chess game, while Ron and Jazz were on a loveseat against the wall, pretending to talk but still watching them- he was expected to be able to do this. Declare his feelings- in public- like a lovesick Gryffindor. 

   It was an uncomfortable situation, but obviously, Sassy didn't care that she was putting him through it. 

   He felt no need to sugarcoat the scene, either.

   "I love you, Sassy. I'll give it up- everything. It doesn't matter to me. Forgiven?"

   Sassinak stared at him in blank, unadulterated shock. "What?"

   "You didn't hear me?"

   She shook her head and sat still, her beautiful cinnamon eyes questioning him, seeing only the honesty in his expression. 

   "I love you, too," she said finally, her expression almost demeaning, as if it had always been obvious. 

   Draco grinned. "I thought for a minute I'd lost you there."

   Sassy smiled mischievously and stepped up to Draco, her hands playing with the collar of his leather jacket. "We don't need a Dark Lord for power. We can find it all…on our own. There are more subtle ways to be devious- and we're the ones to find them."

   "I love your twisted mind."

   "I hope that's not all you love about me, 'cause you're stuck with me for a long time."

   Draco ran his eyes up and down her, as if looking for the first time. "Well, there might be a few other things I could learn to like-"

   Sassy whacked him on the arm.

   "So, Malfoy. Are you going to leave our common room now?" Harry asked finally, looking up from his defeat at chess.

   "_Chorea praesul_." Sassinak decreed in reply, and Harry began to dance uncontrollably.

   She smirked evilly at Draco and he bent to kiss her.

   The watchful eyes of the dragon around her neck glowed like liquid fire, and as Sass stood there, holding Draco, she poured his soul back into him with the firelight gleaming on her sun-dappled skin.


End file.
